More About Keyless Entry

[Tom Stenzel]

Imagine if the fob battery happened to die while you were driving on the freeway. The net result would be the same as if the fob wasn’t present. I personally would prefer that my car not shut off when I’m cruising along at 65+mph.

My wife's Dodge is keyless. If the fob battery gets low a warning message pops up on dashboard. If the battery goes completely kaput the door opens with a key and the car can be started by holding the fob against the dash. Someplace, I forget where. The car can then be started. Don't know if the fob is moved far enough away it stops, we haven't had the problem yet.

I don't think the car will just shutdown if it loses fob connection. I doubt the manufacturer's legal department would find that a good idea.

-Tom

[Phil Stone]

Cause then you've gotta get it out of your pocket & then out of the wallet.

Exactly. I actually wish there were an on/off switch on fobs -- but again, car manufacturers would have to acknowledge the problem to do this.

[Lee DeRaud]

Exactly. I actually wish there were an on/off switch on fobs -- but again, car manufacturers would have to acknowledge the problem to do this.

And then you'd have to take it out of your pocket to switch it on, then remember to switch it off when you get out of the car.
Or worse: "Honey? The car won't start." "Did you switch on the fob?" Do that twice and the switch will get permanently taped to the 'on' position.

[Phil Stone]

And then you'd have to take it out of your pocket to switch it on, then remember to switch it off when you get out of the car.
Or worse: "Honey? The car won't start." "Did you switch on the fob?" Do that twice and the switch will get permanently taped to the 'on' position.

You're probably right, but it's still a little easier than the pouch solution (which I'm using right now).

[Doug Garson]

Cause then you've gotta get it out of your pocket & then out of the wallet.

Agree, it would reduce the convenience.

[Lee DeRaud]

You're probably right, but it's still a little easier than the pouch solution (which I'm using right now).

Except maybe for "can't lock the spare fob in the trunk", I'm curious what real problem the pouch solves.

For some reason, it brings to mind "TEMPEST shielding" and "random TSA pat-downs". But maybe that's just me.

[Phil Stone]

Except maybe for "can't lock the spare fob in the trunk", I'm curious what real problem the pouch solves.

For some reason, it brings to mind "TEMPEST shielding" and "random TSA pat-downs". But maybe that's just me.

It protects against the attack listed in my above post (i.e. two thieves with signal amplifiers). Whether that's of concern to you is another thing.

[Lee DeRaud]

It protects against the attack listed in my above post (i.e. two thieves with signal amplifiers).

And my question remains, just how big a problem is this? As I read it, the "attack" was a proof-of-concept test of a potential vulnerability. Whether the attack method is "easy", using "readily-available devices", is certainly open to question, not to mention whether such attacks are common (or even existent) in the wild.

There are certainly easier ways to steal cars. Does anyone seriously believe these keyless systems are less secure than anything involving a physical key?

[Doug Dawson]

And my question remains, just how big a problem is this? As I read it, the "attack" was a proof-of-concept test of a potential vulnerability. Whether the attack method is "easy", using "readily-available devices", is certainly open to question, not to mention whether such attacks are common (or even existent) in the wild.

There are certainly easier ways to steal cars. Does anyone seriously believe these keyless systems are less secure than anything involving a physical key?

I had my keyless car (with the alarm set!) broken into in my driveway with no sign of forced entry last year. I think they were looking for the garage remote (which I keep locked up in the house.) All they found was my James Taylor CD and my CD of the original Broadway cast recording of West Side Story, which they took out of sheer spite. Bastihds. No damage to the car though aside from some grubby fingerprints on the interior, which is otherwise immaculate.